Watch Botox and fillers, live

15:53 - 1 Feb 2017

In England, Botox, together with fillers and laser hair removal, now accounts for 9 out of every 10 cosmetic procedures and the industry is worth £1.7bn. But despite being big business, the level of regulation has been blasted as "appalling" by top industry experts.

Right now, pretty much anyone can provide botox or fillers - as long as they can get their hands on the product. So how can you tell who can be trusted from someone who's just out to make a quick buck?

With over 14 years experience in cosmetic dermatology, Dr Tapan Patel is live in the studio to tell us what to look out for. He'll also be demonstrating what the treatments involve. And if you want to avoid needles altogether, he'll tell you what anti-ageing ingredients to look for to keep the surgeon's knife at bay.

Booking cosmetic surgery? Here are Dr Patel's five top tips

1. ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH

Dr Patel says: "Never go to a clinic spontaneously, make sure you always do your research by checking their website and online reviews. It's always good to know who runs the clinic. Is it Doctors or nurses or a beauty therapist who has a few months experience?"

2. IS THE CLINIC CLEAN?

Dr Patel says: "When you visit the clinic, make sure it's clean. If you are having injections to your face the clinic needs to be hygienic. If the clinic looks run down or dirty, don't go there."

3. WHAT IS THE PATIENT'S JOURNEY?

Dr Patel says: "You need to consider your patient journey. Does the clinic answer your questions correctly? Are they putting pressure on you to buy the treatments now? When you are having cosmetic procedures you should always have a consultation first. Don't ever worry about having the treatment, you should never be rushed."

4. AVOID GIMICS

Dr Patel says: "If you are offered a discount, or an early bird special. Avoid at all costs! Cosmetic surgery is a medical field not a closing down sale."

5. MAKE SURE YOU ARE ALWAYS TREATED BY THE SAME PERSON

Dr Patel says: "When you do see the person treating you, make sure they are your one contact. Always ask to see an example of their work. Everybody now takes pictures of everything, if they haven't got evidence of their work, this could mean something is wrong."

Looking for a cream instead?

VITAMIN A - otherwise known as retinol - you should look for a cream which has between 0.5 - 1% Retinol in.